Japan Travel Guide 2023: Budget, Itinerary, Tips

It all began last year when my boyfriend, Phillip, shared the news that Pokemon World Championships are being held in Yokohama, Japan. When the 11/11 CebPac's piso sale came along, I just decided to buy the tickets (perfectly aligning with my birthday) and leave the rest up to the universe. No visa, no knowledge of Japan besides Hiroshima, no nothing, just confidence and excitement. 

Once I came back from Ho Chi Minh, the deep research and all the bookings for Japan began. This trip was almost like my baby, as it involved so much work in crafting an itinerary that matched my and Phillip's completely opposite personalities. While a bit challenging, I enjoyed every second spent figuring out the routes and the perfect days to go to certain attractions. Phillip was a good sport, taking on 15,000 steps a day for 14 days straight, and being my second pair of eyes when I couldn't read the exits or train lines. My only complaint was that he doesn't eat as much as I do, so it sucks having dessert alone. Jk.

Anyway! Our Japan trip was nothing short of amazing, and even with the heat, we had the best time and can't wait to go back... In colder months. Check out our travel guide on Japan, where we got to visit ten prefectures!

Traveling to Japan from the Philippines

Here are the Japan travel requirements for Filipinos:

• A passport valid for at least 6 months
• Boarding pass and proof of return flight
• Hotel booking confirmation (for immigration in case they ask)
• eTravel QR code for PH departure and arrival
• Japan Digital QR Code for immigration and customs upon arrival and departure
• Valid Japan Visa (I'll share how I got my Multiple Entry Japan Visa as a first-timer next!)

We flew from Metro Manila via Cebu Pacific, thanks to their piso sale last 11/11/2022. I paid 9,002 PHP per person, round trip. While basic flight prices to Narita were 4,000 PHP, I chose the CebFlexi option that included seat selection, one 20-kg luggage, and the ability to refund my flight just in case my visa application was rejected.

The price does not include travel tax of 1,620 PHP and extra checked-in luggage, which cost an additional 2,420 PHP for 32kg. We also purchased extra luggage for sports equipment as Phillip bought golf clubs, which was an extra 1,200 PHP for a 20kg golf bag.

I know Cebu Pacific receives flak for delays and cancellations, but for this trip, the entire process was smooth and without any delays. Our flight was at 6:15AM on August 13, so we were there at around 2:00AM. Lines weren't as long and we had a smooth process, but since Phillip went to the Foreign Passport section, I was on my own. I was asked if I was going solo and told the officer I was with my boyfriend. When I was walking towards security check, I was stopped by a lady who got my passport and asked if I was alone again and had to repeat I was with my boyfriend. She also asked if he was the one I was with on my last March trip (which was a no), then she let me go. 

We left on time and arrived past 11:00AM. It took about an hour to go through immigration, get our luggage (this took the longest), and buy our Sky Access tickets to Tokyo. 

Internet Connection

We decided to purchase one sim card from Narita Airport's vending machine, which was 6,000 yen for 15 days of unlimited data. It never failed us, except for times we separated and I wasn't connected to Phillip's hotspot, haha. That said, there is fast WiFi in a lot of places around Japan (including our hotels), though not everywhere.

For example, there is only WiFi at the entrances of Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea, and Universal Studios Japan. Not all subway stations will also have WiFi, so if you need to stay online most times, I recommend getting a sim card for assurance. 

Getting Around Japan

One word: COMMUTE! For weeks, I was problematizing what our commute would look like and saved every route we had to take. After the first day, things became easier and the only thing we had to worry about was going home before midnight.

From Narita Airport to Tokyo

We arrived at Narita, so it's a bit of a journey going to Tokyo. If you have the option, I recommend landing at Haneda Airport, which is closer to Tokyo.

That said, traveling to Tokyo from Narita is still easy and with various choices. Follow the signs that lead to the exit and you'll find signs that will lead you to the airport limousine buses and trains. You can book everything in advance via apps like Klook, or in the airport yourself.

• Keisei Skyliner/Sky Access: This was what Google recommended we take. While the Skyliner was quicker than Sky Access, their route was out of our way, so we took the Sky Access, which cost 1,300 yen (500 PHP). The Keisei Skyliner is 2,500 yen (960 PHP).
• JR Narita Express: Another good option if it's within your route, though pricier than Keisei Skyliner/Sky Access. If you are already picking up your JR Pass upon arrival, then this is a suitable choice.
• Airport limousine buses: Just a bit slower than the train but many airport limousine buses can take you straight to select hotels 

Trains

Even in the Philippines, trains were always my favorite way of commuting (maybe just the MRT, haha). Same with New York's subway stations, which is why I loved taking the trains in Japan. We didn't avail of Suica/Pasmo/IC cards and just bought tickets from their machines if needed. However, we only needed to do that a handful of times (like Disneyland's train line), because I made sure to take advantage of the three passes we did purchase via Klook  (use my code ISSAPANDAS for 5% off):

Tokyo Subway Pass

From August 13-19, we stayed in Tokyo area, traveling to Yokohama, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka prefectures within that week. I decided to get us a Tokyo Subway Pass to easily go around places, which saved us a ton of money and hassle compared to purchasing individual tickets! 

You can order your Tokyo Subway Pass via Klook and redeem it in various Tokyo subway stations via their ticket-selling machines. I bought 2-day and 3-day passes for each of us. The great part about it is that the pass doesn't end at 12:00AM on the last day. So, if you were to redeem it at 10:00PM on August 13, it would last until 10:00PM on August 16.

Osaka Amazing Pass 

Literally an amazing pass that saved us a lot on transpo and entrance tickets in Osaka! We only bought the 1-day pass but we took advantage of it by visiting as many tourist attractions. You also get to skip the lines buying tickets, just show your pass and enter.

JR Pass 

The best in my opinion, and also my most prized possession during its 7-day validity (other than my passport) because if you lose this piece of paper, you can't get a replacement. I was considering a 14-Day JR Pass but saw that we wouldn't be able to take full advantage of it since we were staying in Tokyo for 7 days anyway, making the 7-Day pass worth it. We picked it up and made reservations for the bullet train heading to Osaka on the 19th, and it ended at 12:00AM on the 25th, which was perfect since we were going back to Chiba that day. 

As long as you aren't going long distances and have a lot of luggage, there's no need to reserve the train. But if you were to travel from Tokyo to Osaka, Osaka to Hiroshima, or the Narita Express Train to the airport, then these will need reservations, which you can do at their designated machines. 

If you made the calculations and found out that JR Passes won't be worth it, you can always purchase an individual ticket under the same train line. Since the prices are shooting up, that's what I plan to do the next time we visit Japan.

Buses

I was already proud of conquering the train system in Japan, but the next challenge came along: Buses, particularly the ones in Kyoto and Nara.

I already have a difficult time taking the bus in the Philippines because I couldn't read the signs or know where my stop was at. That, and buses here, with the exception of P2P, don't have set times. Fortunately, Google Maps was always consistent and accurate with their routes, and buses were on time (within a 5-minute window frame), so I recommend being at your bus stop 5-10 minutes earlier.

I believe you can use Suica/Pasmo/IC cards for the buses in Kyoto and Nara (I'm just not sure which one to use, lol). What we did was pay in cash, with fares being 220 yen per ride. Make sure you have coins and exact change ready!

What we didn't do, though I wish we did for the experience, was to take an overnight bus! Hopefully someday, but I think it would be interesting to see what it's like going from Osaka to Tokyo (or vice versa).

Taxi/Uber/Private Transportation

While we commute 99% of the time, I agree that commuting has its disadvantages, especially if you have mobility issues that inhibit you from walking long distances (there are a lot of stairs, too). This is when it's more suitable to take a taxi or Uber to head to places. Granted, it's pricier if you compare it to the Philippines, but I believe they have similar rates to the likes of the USA or NZ, according to other travelers.

If you're in Tokyo and want to go on a private tour, then I recommend hiring private car charters with a driver who will be more than happy to take you around! Many Facebook groups and travel agencies offer private car charters with a set itinerary on where to go, depending on what you want to do (from Tokyo, a popular choice would be a Mt. Fuji tour). 

There are many car rental places around, but unless you're an experienced driver and prefer ultimate control of your days (with long-distance drives), I don't recommend it mainly because parking is limited and expensive!

Regardless of whatever mode of transportation you're choosing, I beg of you... Wear comfortable shoes! Adidas saved the day, and Phillip has "I told you so" bragging rights since he's been nagging about it to me for months.

Where to Stay in Japan

Rather than staying in one hotel, we stayed at three for convenience and to give us more flexibility to explore other areas. 

1. Tokyo - Horidome Hotel Villa

I was already expecting a smaller hotel room since anything bigger than 13 sqm would be $$$. Despite the size, I have no complaints because we only used the room for sleeping and showering. We love the service they provide here, from the fast WiFi to daily cleaning. They are even open to receiving packages and will take care of any deliveries for you! Other features include free coffee in the mornings, free use of their umbrellas, coin laundry, vending machines, as well as designated spots on the ground floor with tablets so you can work. 

Location-wise, it was awesome. Train stations were a 5-10-minute walk, while major convenience stores and restaurants were right beside us.

2. Osaka - REBORN Hotel

REBORN Hotel is an AirBnB, so there is staff to help you out, but there are no daily cleaning services nor will your towels be changed. Not that big of a deal, since we just needed to throw our trash in designated bins on the same floor and we could wash our towels in the free laundry machines they have. They also have a lot of toiletries you can just pick up as needed, including facial masks, skincare products (in sachets), slippers, and more.

The hotel room was more spacious and modern than Horidome Villa Hotel, which was a plus. It was also strategically located 2 minutes away from a train station and convenience stores. You can also walk another 5 minutes to other train stations, depending on your route. Oh, and MEGA Don Quijote was just less than 10 minutes away, making souvenir-shopping hassle-free. 

3. Chiba - Tobu Narita Airport Hotel

Definitely my favorite one because of the size, haha. I also liked the fact that they had free airport shuttles, so there was no hassle going to and from the hotel. The room was spacious and it had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. 

I recommend booking in advance as well to avoid higher prices. Plus, if you book via third-party sites, make sure you e-mail or privately message the hotel a few days before your stay to confirm your booking to avoid any potential issues. If you can call, then better.

While direct booking is a surefire way to secure your accommodation without issues, there are instances I find it more affordable to book via third-party sites like Klook and Airbnb. I used Klook for both Tokyo and Chiba, while REBORN Hotel was under AirBnB.When booking Klook, I saved more thanks to using promo codes and the points I accumulated after booking various trips with them. You can use my Klook code for 5% off on your Japan accommodation here: ISSAPANDAS

My Japan DIY Itinerary

Here's our itinerary in a nutshell (with links to where I booked tickets/tours):

• August 13: Arrive at Narita Airport, check-in our hotel in Tokyo, and head to Yokohama for the Pokemon World Championships.
• August 14: Ginza, Shinjuku, and TeamLab Planets Tokyo
• August 15: DisneySea
• August 16: Mt. Fuji Tour via Klook
• August 17: Disneyland Tokyo
• August 18: Asakusa, Akihabara, and Shibuya
• August 19: Check out and go to Osaka, then spend the afternoon to evening at Kobe
• August 20: Osaka DIY day trip with the Osaka Amazing Pass
• August 21: Nara DIY day trip
• August 22: Universal Studios Japan
• August 23: Kyoto DIY Day Trip
• August 24: Hiroshima and Miyajima Island tour via Klook (I recommend DIY-ing this instead, though we enjoyed the tour)
• August 25: Check out and travel to Chiba
• August 26: Flight back home

I'll be sharing our DIY day trip schedules below. As for how we managed to survive Disneyland, DisneySea, and Universal Studios Japan, I'll have separate blog posts for those coming in the next 2 weeks! 

August 13: Arrival

• 12:15-1:15PM: Immigration, get our luggage, buy a sim and Sky Access tickets
• 1:15-3:00PM: On the way to the hotel and check-in
• 3:00-5:00PM: Sleep... Sad that we missed our slot to shop at the Pokemon Store during the Pokemon World Championships. Worth it for the sleep, hay.
• 5:00-6:20PM: On the way to Yokohama
• 6:20-8:00PM: Roam around and take a cab to Pacifico Yokohama
• 8:00-9:00PM: Watch the light show
• 9:00-10:30PM: On the way back to the hotel and buy dinner

August 14: Tokyo

• 9:00-11:00AM: Wake up, prepare, and head to Tokyo Imperial Palace
• 11:00AM-3:00PM: Roam around Ginza (TaylorMade and Uniqlo, lol), and have lunch at Tsujiki Fish Market
• 3:00-5:00PM: Head to Shinjuku to check out Victoria Golf and Shinjuku Gyoen Garden
• 5:00-7:00PM: On the way to TeamLab and spend time in Toyosu Park
• 7:00-8:00PM: Chill out at MIFA Football Cafe, which is an affordable cafe near TeamLab if you need to wait for your slot.
• 8:00-10:00PM: TeamLab Planets
• 10:00-11:00PM: On the way back to the hotel and buy dinner

August 18: Tokyo

• 10:00-11:00AM: Wake up and head to Sensoji Temple (we just came from Disneyland, we need sleep!)
• 11:00-1:00PM: Roam around Sensoji Temple and have lunch in Asakusa
• 1:00-4:00PM: Go to Akihabara and roam around
• 4:00-5:30PM: Go to Shibuya, visit the Hachiko Statue, and check out Shibuya Scramble Crossing
• 5:30-7:00PM: Shibuya Sky
• 7:00-8:00PM: Shop at Shibuya Parco
• 8:00-9:00PM: Dinner at McDonald's
• 9:00-10:00PM: On the way back to the hotel

August 19: Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe

• 9:00-10:00AM: Wake up and prepare to check out
• 10:00AM-3:00PM: Check out and head to Osaka (we gave ourselves a lot of leeway time before the bullet train to avoid missing it, we also had lunch in the train)
• 3:00-4:00PM: Check in and rest
• 4:00-5:00PM: On the way to Kobe
• 5:00-8:00PM: Ikuta Jinja, Ikuta Road, and dinner at Steakland
• 8:00-9:00PM: On the way back to the hotel

I made a huge mistake here because we accidentally took a rapid train from Kobe to Osaka that required reserved seating. Since we didn't have a reservation, we had to pay a fee of 3,000 yen for both of us, which was almost 1,200 PHP. It sucks, but I'm just glad it wasn't any more than that and that it was still heading to the station we needed to arrive at.

August 20: Osaka

• 7:30-8:00AM: Wake up and prepare to leave
• 8:00-9:30AM: Head to Umeda Station and pick up our Osaka Passes (we got lost, haha)
• 9:30-10:30AM: UMEDA Sky Building
• 10:30AM-1:00PM: Head to Namba Hatch and Minatomachi Pier (which was closed haha), then walk to JAM Thrift Store
• 1:00-2:30PM: I had pole class while Phillip shopped at JAM
• 2:30-4:00PM: On the way to Chuo + Osaka International Peace Center
• 4:00-5:00PM: Osaka Castle
• 5:00-6:00PM: On the way to Dotonbori
• 6:00-6:30PM: Dotonbori Cruise
• 6:30-8:00PM: Dinner and check out Don Quijote
• 8:00-9:00PM: On the way to Hep 5
• 9:00-9:30PM: Ride the Hep 5 Ferris Wheel
• 9:30-11:00PM: On the way back to the hotel

August 21: Nara

• 7:00-8:30AM: Wake up and head to Nara Park
• 8:30-11:00AM: Walk around Nara Park and Higashimuki Market
• 11:00-12:00NN: Have lunch at Magura Koya
• 12:00-3:00PM: Walk back to Nara Park and rest in Starbucks
• 3:00-6:00PM: Walk to Naramachi Street and explore
• 6:00-7:00PM: Walk back to Nara Station and buy dinner at their supermarket
• 7:00-8:00PM: On the way back to the hotel

August 23: Kyoto

• 8:30-9:00AM: Wake up and prepare to leave
• 9:00-10:30AM: On the way to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• 10:30-12:00NN: Spend time in Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• 12:00-1:00PM: On the way to Yasaka Shrine
• 1:00-3:00PM: Roam around Yasaka Shrine and Gion District
• 3:00-4:00PM: On the way to Higashiyama
• 4:00-6:00PM: Explore Higashuyama
• 6:00-7:30PM: On the way back to the hotel
• 7:30-9:00PM: Rest
• 9:00-11:30PM: MEGA Don Quijote for souvenir shopping

August 24: Hiroshima

This isn't a DIY tour but I wanted to share where we went so you have a gist on how to spend your time if you plan on doing a day tour here. 

• 6:00-6:30AM: Wake up and prepare to leave
• 6:30-9:30AM: On the way to Hiroshima Station
• 9:30-10:00AM: Wait for tour guide
• 10:00AM-5:30PM: Tour
• 10:00-11:00AM: Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Park
• 11:00-12:00NN: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (you need at least 2-3 hours here)
• 12:00-2:00PM: Have lunch (would have rather skipped lunch and stay at the museum)
• 2:00-4:30PM: Miyajima Island (Itsukushima Shrine and walked around shop and buy food)
• 4:30-5:30PM: On the way back to Hiroshima Station
• 5:30PM-8:00PM: Roam around the nearby areas in the station
• 8:00-10:30PM: On the way back to the hotel
• 10:30-12:00AM: Do laundry and pack to leave for Chiba

My Japan Travel Budget

They really meant it when they said Japan was expensive, especially when the food's so good and the shopping is tax-free! For both Phillip and I, we spent 220,000 PHP, excluding Phillip's major purchase, his golf clubs. 

The budget here is good for two people:

• Roundtrip flight (Manila-Narita): 18,004 PHP
• Travel insurance: 1,651 PHP via BDO Standard Insurance
• Visa: 1,450 PHP (just me, as Phillip used his US passport)
• Travel tax: 1,620 PHP (just for me as Phillip didn't need to pay)
• Extra luggage: 3,620 PHP
• Accommodation: 35,896 PHP
• Disneyland: 6,604 PHP
• DisneySea: 6,604 PHP
• Universal Studios Japan: 7,484 PHP
• Transportation: 30,400 PHP
• JR Pass & Tokyo Pass (with Teamlab & Shibuya Sky ticket): 26,390 PHP
• Tokyo Subway Passes: 4,010 PHP
• Tours: 16,117 PHP
• Mt. Fuji Tour: 4,769 PHP
• Hiroshima Tour: 10,312 PHP
• Osaka Amazing Pass: 1,045 PHP
• Allowance: 90,550 PHP
• ATM fees: 1,550 PHP
• Misc transportation: 4,000 PHP
• Food: 45,000 PHP
• Souvenirs/Shopping: 40,000 PHP

Total: 220,000 PHP, or 110,000 PHP/person

Definitely one of the priciest trips I've taken, but also well worth every yen. Considering the fact that we did anything and everything every single day, ate to our heart's content, and shopped until our luggages were full, a $4,000 budget for 2 people is pretty good! Or am I just trying to convince myself that? 

I know there are things we could have done to save, like skip the JR Pass and Hiroshima tour, as well as not go on the wrong train, but I don't have any regrets and am glad we got to do as much as we did. Just make sure you book everything in advance so you won't have to worry about the lines, paying extra, or missing a few attractions if they are sold out! When booking tours via Klook, don't forget to use my Klook code: ISSAPANDAS

Hopefully, this Japan travel guide helped you out! Feel free to share your own Japan travel tips, recommendations, and questions here. I wanted to do Vietnam next, but I have so much to share about Japan before my brain forgets about it, haha!